The Midnight Society: Penumbra Part 35

"Do you enjoy this?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Say my name," he ordered. "Say the name of the man that pleases you. Say the name of the man who ultimately satisfies you-the man that you need to satisfy you."

I opened my mouth, but I couldn't speak. Instead I closed my eyes and threw my head back as Lincoln continued to move inside me, filling me completely as my p.u.s.s.y clenched around his flesh.

"Same my name," he instructed again. "Say the name of the man you want f.u.c.king you each and every night. The man you love."

This time I did say a name.

"Shadow."

The silence that fell over us was cold and immediate, like a blanket of snow.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep, icy breath, and suddenly, I was no longer naked and tied to the chair. Instead I was standing at the center of the university campus again, clothed in a simple white wedding dress. It was nothing extravagant, but it was pretty. It was perfect for me.

I turned my attention back to Berlioz Hall and noticed it was now boarded up.

My body was no longer filled with l.u.s.t nor uninhibited desire. Instead I felt a simple happiness that had been missing from my life for so long.

I heard Isadora's voice call out to me again. "Now find the living ghost of the man who completes your heart," Isadora said, her ethereal voice guiding me towards the second door. It led to the concert hall of the University, where I had performed so many times before.

Once inside, I found myself standing on a dock overlooking the ocean, which s.h.i.+mmered from the sunlight. At the end of the dock was a beautifully crafted gazebo where a man in a black tux was waiting for me.

I walked up slowly to him, my heart swelling with hope and happiness which radiated all through my body. I had a wide smile on my face.

"Shadow," I said as I strolled up to him.

"You look beautiful Aria," he replied as he turned around to greet me. "You're as magnificent as a diamond in the sky."

"You're not so bad yourself," I said, marveling at the beauty of this man. He was beautiful, with his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and intense eyes; all, which I drank in, like water.

Shadow extended his hand towards me and I took it. He pulled me close to him and I felt his gentle breath on my face. I rested my head on his chest and listened to the beautiful, rhythmic sound of his heartbeat.

"So what are we doing here?" I asked.

I felt his strong arms wrap around me, holding me tightly and filling me with a complete sense of security. I wanted to stay this way forever.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shadow asked. "We're waiting for the world to end."

I smiled, remembering the words I said to him in Cambodia.

Till the end of the world.

"And when's that happening?" I asked.

"Whenever we want it to."

I clung onto him fiercely, tears streaking down my cheeks, afraid that the moment I let go, he would disappear into the blue, cloudless atmosphere.

"Don't cry," he said, running his thumbs under my eyes to catch my tears.

"I can't help it, you jerk," I said. "I just can't help it."

Shadow brushed my hair back with his long slender fingers, and then tilted my chin towards him. He looked at me, with wondrous affection in his eyes, and then kissed me.

And at that moment, everything in the world was perfect. I could have stood there, in that gazebo, locked in this loving kiss for all of eternity.

"Time to go." It was Isadora. "There is one final door where you are to meet the ghost of the dead."

"I don't want to," I said. "Just let me stay here, please."

"The third door awaits."

And then it was all gone-the gazebo, the ocean, but most of all Shadow. I had returned to the University campus where one final door remained, leading to the cafeteria.

"Open the third door, and set this ghost along his path to freedom."

"I can't. I just..."

"The third door," she said again, stubbornly. I started to hear the hint of annoyance in her voice, and I knew better than to anger the woman who had me under her spell.

I entered into the cafeteria.

Inside, I found myself standing in a lake. Surrounding the crystal waters were mountains and large pine trees. The air was cold, and fresh, flooding my lungs with pure, clean oxygen.

In front of me was a wooden canoe and sitting inside, on top of a pile of kindling, was Justin.

"Just in time," he said, "Get it? Just-in time? My name is Justin."

I couldn't help but laugh. He always had a quirky sense of humor.

"We should pop some kernels with that corn of yours," I said.

"So, you here to say goodbye again?" Justin asked.

I nodded.

He looked around and smiled. "This place was a lot nicer than the swamp, the last time you invaded my dreams."

"You mean my dreams," I said. "The dead can't dream."

Justin shook his head. "Of course we can," he replied. "Except our dreams tend to repeat themselves over and over again. Often they're of sadder moments in our lives-regret, sorrow, and all that other bulls.h.i.+t we had to experience while breathing."

"I asked you last time if you forgave me."

I needed to get an answer out of him.

He smiled at me as I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

"Aria, there's nothing for me to forgive," he replied.

"I was the one who told you about the Midnight Society when I shouldn't have," I said. "I was the one who eventually got you killed."

He shook his head. "You tried to save me."

"And I failed."

"No," he replied, "You did all you could. At the end of the day, I died because Calisto was a thunder c.u.n.t-sorry I know you ladies hate that word, but I can't think of anything more appropriate to describe her."

I nodded. "I'll let it slide," I said. "It does suit her properly."

"Like I said before, there's nothing for me to forgive."

I shook my head. "I also broke your heart."

"It happens to the best of us," he replied. "We all have our hearts broken by someone at one point or another."

How very true. Maybe this was the foundation of true love-an endless cycle of heartbreaks.

Justin looked at the blue sky and sighed. "The sun will set soon," he said. "I wanted to start this journey while there was still day light. Hopefully I'll sleep through the darkness and when I wake up, I'll find myself in some magical paradise filled with bikini tops and an endless supply of beer and sweet chili Doritos."

"Is this goodbye then? I won't see you again?" I asked.

Justin smiled. "I'm sure I'll visit you in your dreams from time-to-time, but knock on wood..." he tapped on the canoe with his knuckles, "...I won't be suffering anymore."

I wiped the wetness away from the corner of my eyes.

"You have too many tears these days," Justin said, "And that just won't do. Do yourself a favor and find some happiness again."

"I will when I kill that b.i.t.c.h Calisto."

He shook his head.

"You don't have to," Justin replied. "Just let her go and move onto bigger and better things."

"I have nothing left to move on to," I said.

"Now, that just isn't true. Your fingers recently rekindled their romance with the piano, haven't they?"

I nodded.

"And there's a certain man you need to set straight," Justin said.

"He's been such a d.i.c.k," I sighed.

"But you love him."

I nodded.

"Then it's worth giving him one more shot. At some point, he might realize that he's being a jacka.s.s. It's a s.h.i.+tty thing that he's done to you, but we all make mistakes. It may take a little longer for him to realize his."

"I thought you didn't like Shadow?" I said.

Justin smiled. "I don't," he said. "After all, he stole the heart of the girl I dreamed of being with."

"Sorry." My eyes gravitated down into the water.

"No, I shouldn't have brought it up," Justin said. "I don't like Shadow, but at the same time, I can never forget that he was willing to give up his life to save both you and me. He's a decent guy, and deserves the same happiness you deserve. Now you two stubborn fools just need to find it together."

He turned his attention back to the sky, now the color of faded rose petals.

"I wanted to set off before sunset. I better get going," he said as he tilted his head towards the water. "Do you want to pa.s.s me the candle?"

I turned and saw a single white candle floating on top of the water, the tip burning with a perfect, orange flame.

I looked at Justin, almost mortified.

"I watched you burn once, and the image has been the foundation of all my nightmares," I stated. "You're high if you think I'm going to give you the candle so I can watch you burn all over again." I gestured towards the kindling that lined the insides of the canoe.

"It's different this time," Justin said. "First, I'm already dead. Second, picture this as a cremation. You know, this is how they used to send Vikings off into Valhalla."

I smiled. "You're not a Viking, Justin."

He shrugged. "Maybe in a past life I was, getting drunk off fermented goat's milk and pillaging unsuspecting women. Now be a sweetheart, hand me that candle, and then say goodbye to your best friend."

With a heavy heart, I picked up the candle and gave it to him.

"I'll save you the trouble. I won't light myself up here," he said. "However I do require a gentle push..." he looked into the sky and pointed at the red sun that was descending into the mountains, "...into the sunset."

I nodded. "Goodbye, Justin," I said, as I gave the canoe a gentle shove towards the direction of the mountains. I was surprised how fast the boat began moving away from me, as if an invisible motor propelled it forward.

"Goodbye, Aria, my closest friend," he replied. "I'll see you on the other side, but not anytime soon, I hope."

I watched as the canoe drifted further and further away from me. Justin waved once more, before he lay down in the canoe, disappearing from my vision altogether.

"G.o.d, how beautiful the sky is during this time of day," I heard him shouting from the distance.

I looked up, and shared the same sentiments as he did-enthralled by the majestic sky, purple clouds floating across like silent giants navigating through still, pink waters.

The inside of the canoe suddenly burst into flames, and I watched with a conflicted heart as the floating torch carried my friend far, far away from me, and into another world.

A happier world.

And that was when I woke up.